Appropriations for the Education Department, the Head Start program
in the Health and Human Services Department, Labor Department,
including Job Corps, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and
related agencies.

Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education

Appropriations for the Education Department and most elementary and
secondary programs, the Head Start program in the Health and Human
Services Department, Labor Department, including Job Corps, the
Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and related agencies.

This Year's Education-Related Federal Legislation at a Glance

Fiscal 1998 Budget--Congress has passed a nonbinding
resolution setting broad spending goals and listing specific education
programs it intends to fund in the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1.
Under the plan, which has President Clinton's approval, Congress calls
for providing a $35 billion tax break for higher education costs over
the next five years and raising the Pell Grant student-aid award from
$2,700 to $3,000 next year. It also supports funding Mr. Clinton's
America Reads literacy-tutoring initiative with $260 million next year
and raising education spending by $3 billion or more next year.
Specific funding levels will be set by congressional appropriators,
starting in the House this month. Tax-break language would be included
in separate bills this summer. ("Lawmakers Move on 1998 Funding Increases for
Education," May 28, 1997.)

Higher Education--Both the House and Senate have held
hearings on reauthorizing the Higher Education Act, which includes
financial-aid and teacher-preparation programs. But neither chamber is
planning to write a bill before this fall. ("Only Minor Rewriting Seen For Higher Ed.
Act," Feb. 5, 1997.)

National Testing--The Department of Education is spending
money to develop a voluntary national assessment of 4th graders'
reading skills and 8th graders' math knowledge. The test is on track to
be administered in 1999. Republicans in Congress are trying to block
the department from spending money on test development in the future.
So far, their attempts have been thwarted by procedural rules.
("Rep. Goodling Fails To Block Funding
for New Tests," May 21, 1997.)

Special Education--On June 4, President Clinton signed a bill
amending the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The new law
will rework the program's funding formula once the federal contribution
rises to $4.9 billion, and will allow school districts to reduce their
special education spending when the federal contribution passes $4.1
billion. The reauthorization also requires states to set up voluntary
mediation systems for settling disputes over a disabled student's
education. ("House, Senate Easily
Approve Spec. Ed. Bill," May 21, 1997.)

Vocational Education--The House Early Childhood, Youth, and
Families Subcommittee has begun hearings on reauthorizing the Carl D.
Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act. Rep. Frank
Riggs, R-Calif., the panel's chairman, plans to put his proposal up for
a vote in the House this summer. The Senate Labor and Human Resources
Committee also may take up its vocational education bill this month.
("Hearing Seeks To Put Focus on
Integrating Academics, Voc. Ed.," May 28, 1997.)

For more information on Congress:

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